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Smyly extends shutout streak as Tigers beat Braves

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Drew Smyly extended his scoreless streak to nine innings, strengthening his bid for the final spot in Detroit’s rotation, and the Tigers beat the Atlanta Braves 9-2 on Thursday night.

Smyly whiffed four in four innings, striking out the side in the second. The 23-year-old lefty started 18 games for Detroit last year and pitched in four postseason games.

Braves starter Julio Teheran allowed one run in four solid innings, lowering his ERA to 2.00 in his longest outing of the spring. Teheran made one start for Atlanta last season and is a top contender for this year’s rotation.

Danny Worth doubled twice and went 3 for 3 with two RBIs for the Tigers, raising his batting average to .389.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Gio Gonzalez pitched three scoreless innings before heading to join the United States team at the World Baseball Classic and the Washington Nationals lost to the Houston Astros 4-2 Thursday.

Jason Castro drove in two runs with a single in the eighth inning off losing pitcher Ryan Mattheus that scored Fernando Martinez and Rick Ankiel.

Michael Taylor drove in both of the Nationals’ runs with an eighth-inning single off Dallas Keutchel. Josh Zeid won for the Astros.

Gonzalez gave up three hits while striking out three.

Houston starter Phil Humber pitched four innings, giving up only a two-out double to Corey Brown.

“I’m still working on stuff, and I felt like I was building more strength,” Gonzalez said Thursday after pitching three shutout innings in a 4-2 exhibition loss to the Houston Astros. “This time I was throwing the curveball, throwing the changeup for strikes, trying to get all three pitches in effect coming up on the Classic.”

The 27-year-old left-hander is set up for Tuesday’s start in his hometown of Miami.

“I’ve still got more work to do, more tuning up,” he said. “I’ve still got to go out there and pitch more innings.”

He threw 42 pitches against the Astros, giving up three hits while striking out three, and then threw 23 more pitches in the bullpen.